Traction-engine.



Patented Mar. 4, |992. Bl

TRACTION ENGINE. (Application led Oct. 7, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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Patented Mar. 4, |902.' B. HoLT.

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(Application filed Oct. 7, 1901.)

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(No Model.)

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PATENT OFFICE.

`BENJAMIN IIOLT, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

TRACTION -ENGINB SPECIFICATION' forming` part of Letters Patent No.694,476, dated March 4, 1902.v

Application tied october 7, 1901.

Beit known that 1, BENJAMIN HoLT, a' citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State ofCalifornia, have invented `certain new and useful Improvements inAuxiliary Traction- Vehicles for Traction l-Engine Freighting- Trains;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, andto the figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification. o

My invention relates to 'certain improvements in that class of wagonsknown as freightwagons, and more particularly to those which are drawnbya traction-en gine or any other motor-vehicle, propelled by steam,from which steam may be obtained, on which I locate an auxiliary engineand suitable sprocket-wheelsland shafts in a manner so as to engage androtate the main bearing-Wheels.

My objects are, first, to provide an attachment for a Wagon with whichthe traction-engine or other motor may be assisted up short steep gradesand over otherwise rough and difficult stretches of road; second, toallow the free action of the main wheels in turning; third, to permitthe disconnection of the attachment from the main Wheels at will whennot desired for use. These" I accomplish by the peculiar construction,novelcombination, and adaptation of parte hereinafter described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings for a -better comprehension hereof, inwhich- Figure 1 is a plan view of my im provedauxiliary vehicle fortraction-engine freightingtrains. Fig. 2 is a right-hand side elevationof the same. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the clutch-operating lever.Fig. 4 is a detached horizontal section of one of the main wheels,showing the connection of the main drivesprocket therewith.` Fig. 5 is adetached view of one of the yokes which engage the shifting rings of themain sprockets.

Similar letters and iigures of reference indicate corresponding parts inthe several Views.

Serial No. 77,842. (No model.)

The framework of my vehicle is composed ot' the longitudinal beams 1,arranged outside of the main wheels 2,; the beams 3, located just insidesaid wheels 2 and having a suitable space between the same; thecross-beams 4, arranged one to the front and one to the rear of the saidwheels 2, so as to stiften the frame, and a cross-beam 5, arrangedvabove the front ends of the longitudinal beams, under which the frontwheel is suitably journaled and pivoted.

` I arrange a steam-engine 6 of suitable dimensions and type, preferablythe vertical type, on the front end of the frame. The crank-shaft 7 isextended on one end, as shown in Fig. 1, and has a sprocket 8 rigidlyattached thereon. Acounter-shaft 9 is arranged and journaled across theframe, at a suitable point thereon, preferably midway between the mainWheels 2 and engine 6, and has a sprocket 10, of suitable dimensions,which is rigidly attached thereto andjadapted to be driven by a chainbelt 11 from the sprocket 8 on the crank-shaft 7. The sprocket 10 has amill-clutch 12 formed on one side thereof, which is adapted to engagewith a a similar clutch 13, formed on the opposing side of a sprocket14, which islloosely mounted on the counter-shatt 9 and having acircular plate itted on orgroove 15 formed in the outer hub iscontrolled by a lever 16,which is pivoted to the frame-beam 1, and hasan arm 1Ga iiexibly attached thereto, which is adapted to engage the hubof the sprocket 14. The sprocket 14 is adapted to receive a chain belt17, which engages with a sprocket 18, rigidly attached to a shaft 19,journaled and arranged across the frame. A drum 20 is rigidly attachedon the shaft 19 for the purposes presently shown.

The counter-shaft 9 has two sprockets 2l, arranged one on the outside oieither ot' the longitudinal frame-beams 3 and rigidly attachedv to saidshaft, said sprockets 21 being designed to communicate power to the maindrive-sprockets 22 by means of the chain belts 23. The sprockets 22 areeach formed,

as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, with a flange or ring projectingoutwardly from the ends of the spokes for the purpose of receiving .thesprocket-teeth 25. On the side ofthe sprocket y22, near the end of eachspoke thereot` and IOO next to the wheel 2, notches or clutches 26 areformed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to engage with auxiliary spokes27, which are attached at one end to the hub 28 and'extend radiallytherefrom-and have their other ends rigidly attached to the rim 23a ofthe wheel 2. One end of each hub 28 is extended so as to form a bearingfor the sprocket 22, which is fitted with roller-bearings 29, which areof ordinary type, as shown in Fig. 4, and are adapted to bear on the hub2S. The hubs of the sprockets 22 have a circular groove 30 cut in oneend of each, so as to receive shifting rings 3l, which have lugs 32 onopposite sides thereof. A crescent-shaped yoke 33 (shown in Figs. 4 and6) has two verticallydisposed stems 34, with bifurcated ends adapted toreceive the lugs 32, and is pivotally attached to a sliding bar 34, nearthe center thereof longitudinally, which supports the same and preventsthe said ring 3l from revolving with the hub of the sprocket 22. The bar3st has one end pivoted or hinged at a suitable point on the frame, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the other end is suitably supported, so askto allow the saine to be oscillated to and fro, which is done by meansof the connecting arms or rods 35, which have one of their ends flexiblyattached to the free ends of the oars 34 and their other ends attachedto the free ends of arms 36 which extend in opposite directions from andare attracted to a rock-shaft 37 which is journaled on the frame andprovided with a lever 3S at one end arranged at right angles thereto, asshown in Fig. 3. The said lever 38 may be maintained in the desiredpositions in any suitable manner.

The mode of operating my improved auX- iliary vehicle fortraction-engine freightingy trains is as follows: Steam may be appliedfrom a suitable boiler to the engine 6 through suitable flexible pipes,of which there are many forms and modes of constructionin use, all ofwhich are not new, and I therefore have not shown them in the drawings.The engine 6 having had steam applied is put in motion, and thecounter-shaft 9 is rotated by means of the connecting-sprockets 8 and l0and the chain belt 11. The sprockets 22 are rotated by means of thesprockets 2l and their connecting chain belts 23 and when placed inengagement with the spokes 27 of the wheel 2 cause the said wheels 2 torotate, thus propelling the vehicle. When it is desired to discontinuethe use of the motive power of the wagon on su'ch roads as aredescending or otherwise adapted to render the assisting of thetraction-engine or other motor unnecessary or when it is desired tooperate the drum 2O for any purpose hereinafter described, the operatorgrasps the lever 38 and presses the same to one side, which rocks theshaft 37, and by means of the arms 36 and the connecting-rods 35 drawsthe free ends of the rods 34a together, thus disengaging the sprockets22 from the spokes 27 of the wheel 2 by means ot' the yoke 33, whichengages `with the ring 31 on the hub of said sprocket 22, which allowsthe same to revolve free of the wheel 2. The lever 16 may then bepressed inwardly, which willlock the mill-clutches l2 and 13 togetherand cause the rotation of the sprocket 14, and consequently the rotationofthe drum 20, by reason of the chain belt 17 and sprocket 18 on theshaft 19. Iuse the drum for various purposes, among which are thepulling of the wagons of a train to a position suitable for coupling toeach other after having been uncoupled for the purpose of loading, forpulling large and heavyv articles into the rear wagons, and forassisting the train out of bad places in the road by extending a cableto an object ahead or by driving the engine and wagon past the rough orbad place and then pulling the rear Wagons over. As may be readily seen,the drum 2O may be used independently or in conjunction with thetraction-power applied to the main wheels 2. rounding a curve in theroad the wheels 2 are allowed to rotate independently of each other byreason of the spokes 27 of the wheel 2,

i which rotates the faster, pressing the sprocket engaged therewithoutwardly and slipping* past the notches 26, which is made possible byreason of the flexibility of the sliding bars 34, which are designed tospring suflciently for that purpose. The drum 20 maybe uncoupled bypressing the lever 16 outwardly, thus disengaging the clutches 12 and13. The power may be applied to the wheels 2 by reversing the operationof the lever 38 and its connected parts.

I have designed4 my invention to be operated by steam-power but I do notconfine myself to the use of steam alone as power as an electric motormay be substituted for the engine 6, with equal results, and suppliedwith electricity from an electric motor-wagon or an electric storagebattery located on the auxiliary vehicle.V

Many features shown may be rearranged or dispensed with withoutdeparting from the spirit of myinvention, and I have shown many thingswhich in themselves are not new, but I am not aware that they have beenused in the manner shown and described herein.

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a vehicle of the class described the combination with a motormounted on the frame, of sprockets journaled one on the hub of each mainwheel and having notches adapted to engage the spokes of the same andsuitable means for the lateral adjustment of the said sprockets allarranged and operating substantially as shown and described and for thepurposes set forth herein.

2. In a vehicle of the class described a sprocket having clutches ornotches adapted to engage with the main drive-wheel and being journaledon the hub or axle of said main wheel, a ring or yoke adapted to engagethe Vhile my vehicle isA IOO IIC

hub of said sprocket, a lever or rod adapted to engage the ring or yokeand suitablemeans for imparting motion to the said sprocket all arrangedand operating substantially as shown and described'. l

3. In a vehicle of the class described the combination with suitablebearingwheels of the sprockets 22 having the clutches 26 arranged on theside thereof, andl being journaled on the hub 28, the groove formed inthe hub of the sprocket 22,`the ring 31 fitting in said groove, the yoke33 34 adapted to engage with the ring aforesaid,'the flexible slidingbar 34n pivoted to the frame and engaging the said yoke, suitable meansof operating the said bar 34fL andsuitable means of im`- parting motionto the said sprockets 22 all ar-V ranged and operating substantially asshown and described and' for the purposes set forth herein.-

4. .In a vehicle of the class described the combination with a suitableframe and bearing-wheels of the motor 6 mounted on the frame, thecounter-shaft 9 and its sprockets, mounted transversely on the frame,the drum 2O and its shaft 19 also Vjournaled transversely on the frame,the sprockets 22 journaled-on the axle of the main driveQwheels 2 andhaving the clutches 26 adapted to engage said wheels 2, the yokes- 33adapted to engage the hub of the sprockets 22, the bars 340d pivotallyattached to the frame and yokes 33 and adapted to spring, flex or bend,the rods 35 attached to the free ends of the said bars 34, therock-shaft 37 provided. with thearms 36 and lever 3S said arms 36 beingadapted to engage the rods 35, the lever 16 attached to the frame andadapted to engage the hub of the sprocket 14 and suitable chain beltsand sprockets all arranged and operating substantially as shown anddescribed and for the purposes set forth herein.

5. In a vehicle of the class described the Vcombination with a suitableframe and motor mounted thereon, of sprockets journaled independentlyand-having notches or teeth adapted to engagepthe spokes of the drivewheelslin a manner so as to allow the independent action of saiddrive-wheels, suitable means for the lateraladjustment of the saidsprockets at Will and siiitable means of imparting motion to the saidsprockets all arranged and operating substantially as shown anddescribed and for the purpose specified.

6, In a vehicle of the class described, a traction 0r main bearing-wheelhaving the auxiliary spokes 27 arranged radially from the hubandattached to the'rim and hub 28 and 28, respectively, said hub 28,having the extended end, as described, the sprocket 22, having teethadapted to engage said auxiliary spo kes '27 journaled on said hub 28,in combination with suitable means forlaterally adjusting andcommunicating motion to the said sprocket 22 all arranged and-operatingsubstantially as shown and ldescribed and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a vehicle ofthe class described, the motor resting on the frameand adapted to communicate motion to sprockets arranged in juxtapositionto the main Wheels', said sprockets being adapted to engage auxiliaryspokes on the said main wheels, by meansof ratchet-like teeth, in amanner so as to allow the independent action of said main wheels andsuitable means of controlling the action of said sprockets all arrangedand operating substantially as shown and described and for the purposespecied.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presenceof two Witnesses.

BENJAMIN HoLT.

` Witnesses:-

P. E. HoLT, M. HAYNES.

